Hippocrates (Missouri) on 07/12/2016:

These two "ingredients" are basically tree saps from some South American trees and they are basically the same thing. They are commonly used to "naturally flavor" many foods and also widely used in perfumes. This probably explains it if you are allergic to perfumes and scents, and/or if ice cream bothers your sinuses. It contains compounds that are chemically the same or similar to cinnamon, clove, vanilla, citrus, etc and can be extracted and used much more cheaply than the real thing.

Looking over the chemical names listed above for the Burger King Strawberry Milkshake, I recognize many of those chemical compounds as easily derivable from Balsam of Peru and Balsam of Tolu. (http://www.rain-tree.com/balsam.htm)

They can put it in ANY food or beverage and label it simply as "natural flavor", so it can be in anything you eat that says "natural flavor" or even potentially "artificial flavor". It is also the number two contact dermatitis allergen at 15% of skin all tests showing "positive" results, just behind nickel. If 15% of people's skin is allergic to it, logic would dictate that the rest of their body probably would not like it either if ingested or inhaled, especially the delicate mucous membranes of sinuses and digestive tracts.

Research it yourself and see if avoiding "natural flavors" is worth it.

Also, petition your local government and tell them to make manufacturers label EVERYTHING that is in their foods and personal care products! If it is going in or on us, we have a right to know what is in it!

Hippocrates (Missouri) on 07/12/2016:

These two "ingredients" are basically tree saps from some South American trees and they are basically the same thing. They are commonly used to "naturally flavor" many foods and also widely used in perfumes. This probably explains it if you are allergic to perfumes and scents, and/or if ice cream bothers your sinuses. It contains compounds that are chemically the same or similar to cinnamon, clove, vanilla, citrus, etc and can be extracted and used much more cheaply than the real thing.

Looking over the chemical names listed above for the Burger King Strawberry Milkshake, I recognize many of those chemical compounds as easily derivable from Balsam of Peru and Balsam of Tolu. (http://www.rain-tree.com/balsam.htm)

They can put it in ANY food or beverage and label it simply as "natural flavor", so it can be in anything you eat that says "natural flavor" or even potentially "artificial flavor". It is also the number two contact dermatitis allergen at 15% of skin all tests showing "positive" results, just behind nickel. If 15% of people's skin is allergic to it, logic would dictate that the rest of their body probably would not like it either if ingested or inhaled, especially the delicate mucous membranes of sinuses and digestive tracts.

Research it yourself and see if avoiding "natural flavors" is worth it.

Also, petition your local government and tell them to make manufacturers label EVERYTHING that is in their foods and personal care products! If it is going in or on us, we have a right to know what is in it!

Audrey (Wawrung) on 11/07/2015:

I have had my suspicions for some time now about my reaction to chocolate chip mint ice cream. I seem to always get sick with bronchitis that lasts months. I have been a skeptic of this connection since I grew up eating ice cream ( this flavor always a favorite) with no problems. I did it again last Friday night and it started Saturday and I have been stick with bronchial asthma for a week. I also get sick eating cold cereals with bht that didn't bother me as a kid. This site puts it together for me. I'm done with ice cream. Is it the corn in cereals (the rare treat of Lucky Charms)? Or the BHT?

REPLY         

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Sara (NJ) on 12/29/2023:

Omg! I have the worst sinus infection ever after eating Haagen Daz too! I used to get them more frequently in the past but I haven't gotten one in a while and I haven't had Haagen Daz in a long time. Then my brother brought some over (one of my favorite flavors) and I had some and the next day I had body aches and then the day after that severe congestion which turned into the worst sinus infection. I'm on antibiotics and still feel horrible. Now I remember that I stopped eating Haagen Daz because I made the connection years ago that it was causing my sinus infections.

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beverly (Texas) on 01/04/2022:

I have eaten certain brands of ice cream that brought on serious sinus infections. I use to eat Blizzards at DQ and had to stop it when I realized it was giving me sinus issues.

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Linhen (Marietta, GA) on 01/04/2021:

I can confirm Earth Clinic’s findings. I had Haagen Daz ice cream on Tuesday and came down with flu like symptoms and sinus infection on Thursday. This happened in the past after having a Wendy’s shake as well.

REPLY   5      

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Prov31J (Somewhere Over The Rainbow (KS)) on 11/06/2019:

I was ALWAYS having sinus infections after ice creams especially in the 80's and 90's... at some point, I read of sage helping with sinus infections... Worked great and I've not had as much of the sinus infections (of course,

I rarely eat ice cream and the chemically enhanced soft serve type "frozen desserts" either...). Even the kitchen spice bottle like you use for cooking Thanksgiving dinner - just plopped a teaspoon in hot tea water and let it steep 3-5 minutes or longer. At first I wanted it with stevia or honey to deal with the sage astringency/flavor - but now I can just shoot it straight. Be prepared to spend some time in the restroom bringing all the phlegm up - doesn't sound pretty, but the pain goes bye-bye with every glob that I spit up and out into the trash (I shouldn't have to tell you all to not "recycle" it by swallowing whatever you cough. It only buys you a little time until it comes back up so you still need to clear it out of your sinus passages!!).

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Soph (LA) on 07/19/2019:

We bought some ice cream. It was dairy substitute ice cream. Two days later, major sinus infection pain, major pain it hurt to open my eyes, could not sleep for two days. I decided to mixed coconut oil with few drop eucalyptus oil and two drops of peppermint oil and one drop of tea tree oil and few drops of DMSO. I mixed it all together and rubbed in over my sinus every hour wore soft hat on head and went to bed. I felt much better. Would of never guessed that ice cream is so toxic.

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Soph (LA) on 07/19/2019:

We bought some ice cream. It was dairy substitute ice cream. Two days later, major sinus infection pain, major pain it hurt to open my eyes, could not sleep for two days. I decided to mixed coconut oil with few drop eucalyptus oil and two drops of peppermint oil and one drop of tea tree oil and few drops of DMSO. I mixed it all together and rubbed in over my sinus every hour wore soft hat on head and went to bed. I felt much better. Would of never guessed that ice cream is so toxic.

REPLY   1      

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Kimberly (Pennsylvania) on 01/30/2017:

I have just Googled about this issue. I am affected from dunkin donuts creamer they use. I don't need to drink much in the coffee and I instantly have this reaction everytime. I always drank it black now with creamer and get instant sinus reactions than goes away the next day. I am interested in learning more and helping anyway I can. This is the only information I found online that can link to my issue.

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Lightbulb (Oregon) on 08/14/2016:

We eat non GMO organic and perhaps ice cream maybe two times in ten years. One day at the supermarket they had big ice cream sale . Häagen-Dazs and Talenti, we bought both ate some . That night I noticed by eyes hurt so bad, hurt to move them. and I had insomnia my frontal sinuses were inflamed feeling . I did not link it to ice cream. My husband was sleeping he was not feeling so good. That night we ate more ice cream next day I felt like I had a mega sinus infection, I felt so weird I was forgetting things and I had migraine, we were going to go to the emergency dept, decided to wait to see my MD on Monday. I'm stunned that ice cream from my childhood days has turned into a dangerous poison with all sort of chemicals! No ice cream for us ever, unless I make it at home. end of story.

REPLY   2      

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Hippocrates (Missouri) on 07/12/2016:

You want the connection, here it is: Balsam of Peru and Balsam of Tolu.

These two "ingredients" are basically tree saps from some South American trees and they are basically the same thing. They are commonly used to "naturally flavor" many foods and also widely used in perfumes. This probably explains it if you are allergic to perfumes and scents, and/or if ice cream bothers your sinuses. It contains compounds that are chemically the same or similar to cinnamon, clove, vanilla, citrus, etc and can be extracted and used much more cheaply than the real thing.

Looking over the chemical names listed above for the Burger King Strawberry Milkshake, I recognize many of those chemical compounds as easily derivable from Balsam of Peru and Balsam of Tolu. (http://www.rain-tree.com/balsam.htm)

They can put it in ANY food or beverage and label it simply as "natural flavor", so it can be in anything you eat that says "natural flavor" or even potentially "artificial flavor". It is also the number two contact dermatitis allergen at 15% of skin all tests showing "positive" results, just behind nickel. If 15% of people's skin is allergic to it, logic would dictate that the rest of their body probably would not like it either if ingested or inhaled, especially the delicate mucous membranes of sinuses and digestive tracts.

Research it yourself and see if avoiding "natural flavors" is worth it.

Also, petition your local government and tell them to make manufacturers label EVERYTHING that is in their foods and personal care products! If it is going in or on us, we have a right to know what is in it!

REPLY   6      

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Audrey (Wawrung) on 11/07/2015:

I have had my suspicions for some time now about my reaction to chocolate chip mint ice cream. I seem to always get sick with bronchitis that lasts months. I have been a skeptic of this connection since I grew up eating ice cream ( this flavor always a favorite) with no problems. I did it again last Friday night and it started Saturday and I have been stick with bronchial asthma for a week. I also get sick eating cold cereals with bht that didn't bother me as a kid. This site puts it together for me. I'm done with ice cream. Is it the corn in cereals (the rare treat of Lucky Charms)? Or the BHT?

REPLY